Process of making coupon receptacles



Dec. 12, 1939. w, POPPE P'RocEs s OF MAKING COUPON RECEPTACLES Filed Aug. 27, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR GEO/26E (Pop/=5 ATTORNEY Dec. 12, 1939. G. w. POPPE PROCESS OF MAKING COUPON RECEPTACLES Filed Aug. 27, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR GECMGE M Pap/ 5,

ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 12, 1939 PROCESS OF MAKING COUPON RECEPTACLES George W. Poppe, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to Equitable Paper Bag 00. Inc., Brooklyn, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application August 27, 1938, Serial No. 227,037

Claims.

The present invention relates to a method of producing coupon receptacles and more particularly to a method by which such a receptacle may be produced having a relatively long closing 5 flap at the mouth thereof which may be folded either outside or inside of the receptacle and which receptacle has a relatively small bottom.

One of the objects of the invention is the production of. such a receptacle by a method which results in considerable saving of material over methods heretofore used.

A further object of the invention is the production of a receptacle of this type by a method which may be practiced on a bag machine, as distinguished from an envelope machine.

In so far as I am aware, coupon receptacles, at present in use are in the form of envelopes. These envelopes have a relatively long flap at the mouth of the same, the outer portion ofwhich is perforated and may be torn ofi to act as a coupon or receipt. These envelopes have a relatively small bottom but the method of making them necessitates considerable waste of paper. Furthermore, the cost of envelope machines is approximately double that of a bag machine and the speed is only about one-half to onethird as great.

By the present method, receptacles of the coupon type may be made on a bag machine, with its high rate of production and with no waste of paper.

Since the method is adapted to be carried out commercially on a bag machine, it is believed to be advantageous to describe it in connection with 35 such a machine, although the method may be practiced in other ways than herein set forth.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section with the .central portion broken away,'of a bag machine of well lmown construction, but modified in some respects in order that my improved method may folding of the bottom;

Figure 5 is the reverse of Figure 4 with the coupon partially detached and after the bottom has been folded and pasted; and

5a Figure 61s a diagrammatic view showing the severed from the main tube and prior to the waste of paper incidental to the production of an envelope.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2 there is a supporting frame work 2, the side members of which carry various shafts for driving the usual mecha- 5 nism of a'bag machine. The shaft 4, Figure 1, may be driven by any suitable means and it is through this shaft that the rest of the machine is driven. For this purpose shaft 4 carries a pulley or sprocket wheel over which a 10 belt or chain 6' passes and through which by means of a suitable pulley or sprocket wheel I, the shaft 8 is driven. A tension roller 9 serves to keep the chain 6 sufiiciently taut. The shaft 8 carries a gear l0, shown in dotted outline only, 15 which meshes with a similar gear l2 on a shaft I 3, said shaft also carrying a sprocket l4 over which passes a sprocket chain l5 engaging a sprocket on a shaft It at the upper rear portion of the machine.

The paper from which the bags are to be formed is fed as a web l8 from a roll 19 Supported on a shaft 20 at the lower right hand portion of the machine, Figure 1. The web passes over a guide roller 2| and around an impression 25' roller 22 where the web receives a line of perforations 23, Figure 2, this line of perforations being within the margins of the web. Preferably such line of perforations is made by a perforating blade 24 supported by a roller 26 on the shaft 8. 30

The roller 26 makes one rotation for every bag section and the line of perforations 23 is therefore spaced at bag section intervals apartin the longitudinal direction of the web. These perforations form the base of a detachable 35 coupon in the finished bag as will be more clearly understood as the description proceeds. The roller 26 may also carry printing means whereby suitable identifying marks may be printed on the coupon and on the web at such positions as to appear on one or both walls of the finished bag.

The web after passing over the roller 22 and having received its line of perforations, passes over a guide roller 28 and around another'roller 30 which reverses its direction of movement. As the web passes about the roller 30 a line of paste, indicated at 32, Figure 2, is applied to the web by means of a paste disc 33 supported on a shaft 34 and dipping into a paste pot 35.

The shaft l6 has mounted thereon two blocks 36, each carrying dies 38 which make diagonal cuts in the web indicated at 48, Figure -2, and likewise make cuts 42 extending from one end of each of the cuts 40, the cuts 42 being parallel to each other. The blocks 36 are adjustable along theshaft IS in order to diiferentiyspace the knives for bags of diflerent widths. The cuts 42 extend to the line of perforations 23.

The web of paper after having received the line of perforations 23 and the cuts 40' and 42, passes under a former 44 and the free edges of the web are then folded over onto the former to form a bag tube as shown in Figure 2. The paste line 32 overlaps the opposite edge of the web and forms a seam at approximately the center of the tube. The former is supported as usual in machines of this type, from a cross bar 45 from which depends acentral bracket 46, the cross bar 45 being carried by arms 41, constituting part of the framework of the machine.

The web and tube are continuously advanced as is usual by means of upper and lower feed rollers 48, the upper feed roller being adjustable to vary the pressure of the rollers against the tube. These rollers are suitably driven in the usual way (not shown) from the shaft 4 and the ratio of gearing is such that the feed rollers advance the tube a bag section as the shaft 4 rotates once for each bag section. When the tube is folded over the former, the cuts 40 appear on the upper side thereof as shown in Figure 2, while the parallel cuts 42 are so located as to coincide with the line of fold and are therefore at each edge of the tube. After the tube passes the feed rollers 48, it is severed into bag tube sections by suitable severing mechanism. This severing mechanism causes one wall of the tube to be severed along a line which connects one end of each of the diagonal cuts 40 and the other tube wall along a line which connects the other ends of each of said cuts 40 and one end only of each of the parallel cuts 42.

A bag tube section thus severed is shown at the lower portion of Figure 2 and on an enlarged scale in Figure 4. The bag is completed by folding the bottom along the line H in the latter fi re.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that a double flap bag is produced by making angular cuts within the margin of a web of paper and a line of perforations also within the margin; the making of longitudinal cuts which extend from the end of each of said angular cuts which longitudinal cuts are parallel to each other, then folding the web to form a tube and subsequently severing one wall of the tube along a line which connects one end of each of the angular cuts and the other wall of the tube along a line which connects the other ends of said angular cuts, but connects one end only of the parallel cuts.

In the bag section shown at Figure 4, the parallel cuts extend to the line of perforations, which perforations form the base of the flap which is to be detached, and the receptacle produced, has the characteristics of that disclosed in Figures 4, 5 and 6 of my application, Serial No. 227,034 filed of even date herewith. By making the perforations at the base of the trapezoid, and thus using the upper portion of the flap 68 as a coupon, the bag produced has the characteristics of the one disclosed in my application, Serial No. 227,036 also filed of even date herewith.

In the present disclosure the severing is performed by the edge of the former which is serrated as shown in Figure 3 where the tube is shown as partly broken away near its center in order that the former teeth may be visible. As shown in said figure, the edge of the former severs the lower wall of the tube along a line which connects the left hand ends of the cuts 4| as shown in Figure 3, while the lip knife 51 suitably supported on a member 53 located Just forward of the feed rollers, severs the upper or seam wall of the tube along a line which connects the other ends of said cuts 40. The-former, however, in severing the lower wall of the tube along the line which connects one end of each of the cuts 40 also connects one end only of each of the cuts 42, since these cuts extend from the cuts 40. The actual severance is brought about by a bar 54 known in the art as a striker bar and which is carried by a sprocket chain 55 driven by sprockets 56 and 51 supported on shafts SI and 59, Figure 1. The lower shaft 58 is driven from the shaft 4 by suitable gearing including the idler 80 in order that the motion may be in the direction of the arrow shown in Figure 1. In commercial machines two striker bars 54 are usually provided.

In order that proper severance may occur, it is necessary to create some slack in the tube and this is brought about by means of a socalled pinch-bar 62 which bar is in effect a cylinder having a segmental portion of slightly greater radius than the rest of the bar. This segmental portion extends circumferentially only a short distance but suflicient to retard the motion of the tube momentarily in order that the desired slack may be created to enable the striker bar properly to sever the tube against the serrated edges of the former and lip knife. The diameter and surface speed of the pinch bar is such that the necessary retardation takes place as is customary in machines of this character.

In Figure 2, the upper wall of the tube is shown as being in engagement with and ready to be severed by the lip knife 52. After the tube is severed and just at the time that the pinch bar is about to release the tube, the leading end thereof is in position to pass between the cylinders 63 and 64, which cylinders have a higher peripheral speed than the pinch bar and therefore as soon as the severed tube section is free from the pinch bar, the section is pulled away and passes between the rollers 83 and 64. The upper roller 63 carries a paste bar 65 which applies the line of paste shown at 66, Figure 4, to the lower portion of the bag tube section. This cylinder 63 also carries a tucker blade 66a which in cooperation with a clamp 61 in the cylinder 64, folds the bottom portion of the section along the line a-a, Figure 4, to thereby close the bottom of the bag, the finished bag then passing on to suitable delivery mechanism.

A detached bag tube section is shown at the lower portion of Figure 2 and it will be noted that the trapezoidal upper portion of this detached section exactly fits into the space in the bottom of the section Just in advance of it. Therefore, the bag is made without any waste of paper whatever.

In Figure 4 which is a bag tube section after severance of the main tube and before the bottom is closed, it will be noted two flaps are produced at the mouth of the bag, the flap 68 being a prolongation of the seam wall of the bag. The flap II is on the opposite wall, Figure 5, and has the line of perforations 23 at its base. When this flap is detached, the flap 68 which is a very long flap, may be folded inside of the bag or outside as preferred. The flap Ill may be provided with any suitable mark or number as 196 and may act as a coupon or receipt or be filed as a record. One face of the bag also is provided with the same designation.

' It is also to be noted that the bottom being folded along the line H, Figure 4, is only slightly larger than one-half of the depth of the trapezoidal portion of the flap 68 thereby providing a small bottom bag which has, however, a very large closing flap after the coupon flap 10 has been detached.

Throughout the specification, reference has been made to a bag as distinguished from an envelope. These two types of receptacles are distinguished in the practical art due to certain characteristics of the articles themselves and also due to the process and machineryby which the respective types are produced commercially. In a bag there is no waste of paper because the flap portion of one bag section fits into the bottom of the preceding bag section. However, the bottom is folded over onto the seam wall of the section in the finished article, while thefiap 68 after the coupon 10 is torn off, folds over on the plain wall. In other words, the bottom and top flaps fold on opposite walls. In an envelope, however, both flaps fold over on the same wall but in order that this characteristic may be present in the finished article, it is necessary to waste considerable paper in the manufacture of an envelope, the amount depending upon the length of the flap.

Since the present invention is concerned with the production of a coupon receptacle having a relatively long closing flap and a small bottom by a method which lends itself to bag machine production, it is desirable to point out briefly the method by which coupon envelopes are produced. In this method which is illustrated diagrammatically in Figure 6, 12 indicates a web of paper out of which an envelope having a long closing flap with a detachable coupon at its end, is to be made. As the web passes through the envelope machine, cuts are made along the lines 13, 14, 15 and 16. The portions of the web between these lines and the side edges of the web are discarded as waste. After these portions are cut out the side wings 71 are folded over to form the seam wall of the envelope and subsequently a section is severed from the main tube along the line 18. The bottom is folded along the line 19 and the closing flap is folded along the line 80. A line of perforations at 82 enables the upper portion of the flap to be torn off and used as a coupon.

With the method just described for producing a coupon envelope, the waste of paper amounts to more than 25%. For example, to produce a bag eight inches long, according to applicants method, the measurement being taken from the line of perforations 23 to the bottom of the bag, requires 10% inches of paper. An envelope of the same size produced according to the method described in accordance with Figure 6 requires 12% inches of paper.

Not only does applicants method result in a very substantial saving in paper, but it is well known in the practical art that envelope machines run at somewhat less than one-half the speed of bag machines and their cost is something like twice as high.

While in describing my preferred method of producing a coupon ba the preliminary cutting of the web is performed by means of dies, I do not wish to be limited to this particular form of mechanism because the diagonal cuts 40 may be produced by a knife having interrupted edges as disclosed in my Patent 2,030,118, see Figure 4.

} bag.

Other variations may be resorted to within the scope-of the invention without departing from the spirit thereof.

What I claim is:

1. The method of forming a double flap coupon bagwhich includes forming a line of perforations extending transversely of the web and within the margins thereof and of a length coextensive with the width of a bag wall in the finished bag, making angular cuts in the web within the margin thereof and cuts which extend from the end of each angular cut to the line of perforations, said latter cuts being parallel to each other, folding the web to form a tube and subsequently severing one wall of the tube along a line which connects one end of each angular cut and the other wall along a line which connects the other ends of said angular cuts and one end only of each of the parallel cuts.

2. The method of making a long flap shortbottom bag which consists in making angular cuts within the margin of a web of paper, making cuts which extend from the end of each of said angular cuts, said latter cuts being parallel to each other, folding the web to form a tube with the parallel cuts coinciding with respective lines of fold, subsequently severing one wall of the tube along a line which connects one end of each of the angular cuts and the other wall of the tube along a. line which connects the other ends of said angular cuts and one end only of each of the parallel cuts, thereby forming a bag section having offset walls at the top and bottom thereof, the bottom ofiset walls having gussets at the sides thereof and subsequently folding over the bottom offset portion approximately one-half way between lts offset extension to thereby complete the 3. The method of forming a double flap bag section which consists in making angular cuts within the margin of a continuously advancing web of paper, making cuts which extend from the end of each of said angular cuts, said latter cuts being parallel to each other, folding the web to form a tube with the parallel cuts coinciding with the respective lines of fold and subsequently severing one wall of the tube along a line which connects one end of each of the angular cuts and the other wall of the tube along a line which connects the other ends of said angular cuts and' one end only of each of the parallel cuts.

4. The method of making a double flap coupon bag section which consists in forming a line of perforations extending transversely of acontinuously advancing web and within the margins thereof and of a length co-extensive with the width of a bag wall in the finished bag, making angular cuts in the web within the margin thereof and cuts which extend from the end of each angular cut to the line of perforations, said latter cutsvbeing parallel to each other, folding the web to form a tube and subsequently severing one wall of the tube along a line which connects one end of each angular cut and the other wall along a line which connects the other ends of said angular cuts and one end only of each of the parallel cuts.

5. The method of making a long flap shortbottom bag which consists in making angular cuts within the margin of a continuously advancing web of paper, making cuts which extend from the end of each of said angular cuts, said latter cuts being parallel to each other, folding the web to form a tube with the parallel cuts coinciding with respective lines of fold, subsequently severing one wall of the tube along a line which connects one end of each of the angular cuts and the other wall of the tube along a line which connects the other ends of said angular cuts and one end only of each of the parallel cuts, thereby forming a bag section having oflset walls at the top and bottom thereof. the bottom ofiset walls having gussets at the sides thereof and subsequently folding over the bottom oflset portion approximately one-half way between its offset extension to thereby complete the bag.

GEORGE W. POPPE. 

